Much has been debated and predicted about the future of post-pandemic retail. The shift towards sustainability, however, had already been steadily increasing over the past few years, with Gen Z leading the way. Now, a new study, The State of Consumer Spending: Gen Z Shoppers Demand Sustainable Retail, has secured Gen Z’s position as the sustainable generation. 

The report showed that Gen Z makes more shopping decisions based on sustainable retail practices than even Millennials and Gen X. It also found that Gen Z, along with Millennials, are the most likely to make purchase decisions based on values and principles (personal, social, and environmental).

The pandemic, says First Insight, has also “accelerated sustainability initiatives for retailers around the world.” This has been dubbed an “eco-awakening” by some, with another study, by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), indicating a 71% rise in the popularity of searches for sustainable goods over the past five years, with continuing growth during the pandemic.

Gen Z has previously been accredited with starting the international Friday’s For Future climate revolution, with young leaders like Greta Thunberg, Xiye Bastida, and Vanessa Nakate calling for urgent action. It’s also a generation and “traumatized” by climate change fears, experiencing high levels of climate anxiety and being more lonely, depressed, and suicidal than any previous generation.

While it’s clear we can all learn alot from Gen Z when it comes to matching our personal ethics with our purchases, continuing on the path towards a more sustainable post-pandemic fashion and retail industry relies on engagement across ages and cultures. This latest study’s findings show the younger generations are on the right path, but here’s hoping sustainable retail practices will continue to become a priority for all.

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